2009 SATURN ASTRA Owners Manual

But airbags would not help in
many types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant’s motion
is not toward those airbags.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag Inflate?
on page 1-27for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inate, they quickly deate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inated for some time after
they deploy. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbag modules, seeWhat Makes an
Airbag Inflate? on page 1-28.The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deated
airbags. Airbag ination does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to
steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION
When an airbag inates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot get
out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by
opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors,
turn the interior lamps on, and turn
the hazard warning ashers on
when the airbags inate. You can
lock the doors, turn the interior
lamps off, and turn the hazard
warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
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In many crashes severe enough to
inate the airbag, windshields
are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage
may also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate
only once. After an airbag
inates, you will need some
new parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there to
help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual
for your vehicle covers the
need to replace other parts.
The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a crash.
SeeVehicle Data Recording
and Privacy on page 12-16and
Event Data Recorders on
page 12-16.
Let only qualied technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not
work properly. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front
passenger position. The passenger
airbag status indicator will be
visible in the rearview mirror when
the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, will be visible
during the system check. When the
system check is complete, either
the word ON or OFF, or the symbol
for on or off, will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 4-15. United States
Canada
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The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags are
not affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger’s seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the
right front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag should be enabled (may
inate) or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.We recommend that children be
secured in a rear seat, including: an
infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child
riding in a forward-facing child seat;
an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are
large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or
killed if the right front passenger
airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inating airbag. A child in a
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
right front passenger airbag
inates and the passenger seat is
in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped), no system is
fail-safe. No one can guarantee
that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance,
even though the airbag(s) are off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the
airbag(s) are off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the
right front seat, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as
it will go. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.
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The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag if:
The right front passenger seat
is unoccupied.
The system determines that an
infant is present in a rear-facing
infant seat.
The system determines that a
small child is present in a
child restraint.
The system determines that a
small child is present in a
booster seat.
A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat
for a period of time.
The right front passenger seat is
occupied by a smaller person,
such as a child who has
outgrown child restraints.
Or, if there is a critical problem
with the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag,
the off indicator will light and stay lit
to remind you that the airbags
are off. SeePassenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 4-15.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inate) the
right front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag anytime the system senses
that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the right front
passenger seat. When the
passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbags to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and
stay lit to remind you that the
airbags are active.
For some children who have
outgrown child restraints and for very
small adults, the passenger sensing
system may or may not turn off the
right front passenger frontal airbagand seat-mounted side impact
airbag, depending upon the person’s
seating posture and body build.
Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should wear
a safety belt properly — whether or
not there is an airbag for that person.
{CAUTION
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have
the vehicle serviced right away.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 4-14for more information,
including important safety
information.
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If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items
from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat) on page 1-51or
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat) on page 1-53.5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then
slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to
make sure that the vehicle
seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child restraint
is not trapped under the vehicle
head restraint. If this happens,
adjust the head restraint.
6. Restart the vehicle.
If the on indicator is still lit,
secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in
the vehicle, and check with
your dealer/retailer.
If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult-size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat.
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If this happens, use the following
steps to allow the system to detect
that person and enable the right
front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in
the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the
on indicator is lit.Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the passenger
in position on the seat during vehicle
maneuvers and braking, which helps
the passenger sensing system
maintain the passenger airbag
status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child
Restraints” in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion, or
aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specic
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment
to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-36for more information
about modications that can affect
how the system operates.A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:The passenger sensing system
may turn off the passenger airbag
when liquid is soaked into the
seat. If this happens, the off
indicator will be lit, and the airbag
readiness light on the instrument
panel will also be lit.
Liquid pooled on the seat that has
not soaked in may make it more
likely that the passenger sensing
system will enable (turn on) the
passenger airbag while a child
restraint or child occupant is on
the seat. If the passenger airbag
is turned on, the on indicator
will be lit.
If the passenger seat gets wet,
dry the seat immediately. If the
airbag readiness light is lit,
do not install a child restraint or
allow anyone to occupy the seat.
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SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 4-14for important safety
information.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is
not desired, remove the object from
the seat.
{CAUTION
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle.
Your dealer/retailer and the
service manual have information
about servicing the vehicle and the
airbag system. To purchase a
service manual, seeService
Publications Ordering Information
on page 12-15.
{CAUTION
For up to 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualied to do so.
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Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to
or change about the vehicle
that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that
change the vehicle’s frame,
bumper system, height, front end
or side sheet metal, they may
keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or
moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules,
ceiling headliner or pillar
garnish trim, front sensors, or
airbag wiring can affect the
operation of the airbag system.In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position,
which includes sensors that are
part of the passenger’s seat.
The passenger sensing system
may not operate properly if the
original seat trim is replaced with
non-GM covers, upholstery or
trim, or with GM covers,
upholstery or trim designed for a
different vehicle. Any object, such
as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the
seat fabric, could also interfere
with the operation of the
passenger sensing system.This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system
from properly turning off
the passenger airbag(s).
SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 1-30.
If you have any questions, call
Customer Assistance. The phone
numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on
page 12-1.
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